i appreciate your concern
by patientalien
Summary: Anakin is rescued from being held captive by Count Dooku, but that's not the end of the story. Warning for discussion of rape.


**title** i appreciate your concern (you're gonna stink and burn)  
><strong>author<strong> **patientalien**  
><strong>rating<strong> PG-13  
><strong>word count<strong> 1134  
><strong>summary<strong> Anakin is rescued from being held captive by Count Dooku, but that's not the end of the story.  
><strong>notes<strong> Written for the rape/non-con spot on my **hc_bingo** square.  
><strong>warning <strong>discussion of rape

* * *

><p>The rescue mission goes easier than some others Obi-Wan has been involved in, and when they find Anakin he can't help but feel grateful for that. Initial exams on the Indomitable reveal burns from Force pikes, whose electrical shocks cause synapses to continue misfiring. Petit mal seizures are Obi-Wan's greeting from his former apprentice. His flesh wrist and ankles are rubbed raw, oozing pus, whip marks cover his back, and something else. The medics are hesitant to mention the last, as they lower Anakin into the bacta tank. "Signs of penetration," Coric finally says, and turns away.<p>

* * *

><p>Anakin remains in bacta until they return to the Temple. Obi-Wan undergoes a Council debriefing while Vokara Che works her considerable talents to heal him further.<p>

When Obi-Wan enters the Halls of Healing, Vokara Che is standing over Anakin, pressing a healing crystal to his forehead. Anakin's face is contorted in pain, and Obi-Wan half wants to tell her to stop. Instead, he watches her harness the Force, use it to reset Anakin's disrupted neural functions, watches the pain on his former Padawan's face melt.

"The seizures should stop, now," she says as Anakin opens his eyes and sits up. "But if you experience them again, please return immediately." She gives him a stern look, knowing the same as Obi-Wan does that Anakin will never step foot in the Halls of Healing willingly.

"Of course, Master Vokara Che," Anakin says, humble, grateful, unlike himself. "Thank you."

He matches Anakin's strides out of the Halls. "Anakin, wait."

Anakin turns, and he is doing his best to achieve normalcy. "Master?" he asks, cocking his head.

"You know that, whatever happened with Dooku, you can talk to me." Obi-Wan knows it is futile.

Sure enough, Anakin's expression darkens. "I didn't tell him anything, if that's what you're saying," he snaps.

"That's not what I'm saying," Obi-Wan responds, softly.

* * *

><p>Padme is grateful to have her husband home. So worried during his capture that Obi-Wan would return with news that he couldn't be rescued, that the Separatists had rid the galaxy of the Republic's greatest hero. But instead, he is alive and seemingly well and they have time together, at last.<p>

Anakin drinks more than usual at dinner, and when it comes time to go to bed, he pulls the blankets tightly around himself and doesn't speak.

* * *

><p>Sparring sessions with her Master always make Ahsoka happy. Even today, when her Master is bleary-eyed and cranky, she's still pleased to have some of his time, especially when she had been so sure she'd never see him again.<p>

"I've been practicing," she tells him, igniting her 'sabers. He merely grunts at her, and ignites his own, settling into the opening posture for Djem So.

She gains the upper hand quickly. Anakin is distracted, easily thrown off-balance. She is able to come up behind him and when she does, he throws her across the room with the Force, harder than he would have if he'd remembered it was only her, and she would never harm him.

* * *

><p>Anakin tells him he's going out, taking the speeder to clear his head. Obi-Wan doesn't say no, though he knows he should, especially when Anakin does not return before nightfall and calls to Senator Amidala prove fruitless.<p>

Obi-Wan stays up, wondering when he reverted into the role he'd played when Anakin was a teenager.

The door slams open, and Anakin trips in, a phosphorescent bottle of blue liquor in his hand. The door slams closed again, and Anakin jumps, puts a finger to his lips, "Shhh," he says to nobody, "Don't wanna wake Mas'er Obi-Wan." He giggles, leans against the wall, pulls his boots off, topples over.

Obi-Wan decides he's had enough of the spectacle. "Master!" Anakin cries, chemically cheerful. "Havva drink with me!" He brandishes the bottle, and manages to climb to his feet, unsteady.

"I think you've had more than enough for the both of us," Obi-Wan replies, dryly, and Anakin pouts at him, stumbling sideways. "Go to bed, Anakin."

He wants to talk about this. Wants to assure Anakin that whatever happened at Dooku's hands, it is not Anakin's fault, that it will heal. But Anakin is drunk, and Obi-Wan knows better than to try a serious conversation under those circumstances.

Anakin bounces off the walls into his room, and Obi-Wan hears the door lock.

Anakin has never locked his bedroom door before.

* * *

><p>When Anakin is with her, Padme no longer knows how to act. He is jumpy, irritable, but won't tell her why. He won't let her trace the scars on his back, or rub his arms, or run her fingers through his hair. When they are together, he barely touches her, and pulls away when she touches him.<p>

She feels them drifting apart and feels powerless to stop it.

* * *

><p>"You can talk to me," Obi-Wan tries again, over breakfast this time. Anakin does not appear hungover, but Obi-Wan wouldn't be surprised if he was.<p>

"About what?" Anakin asks around a mouthful of eggs. "Everything's fine. Good as new and all that." He smirks. "Just enjoying my leave, is all." His eyes are hollow.

"About what happened with Dooku," Obi-Wan attempts, and Anakin slams his fork down.

"Nothing happened," he replies, sharply. "Typical Seppie stuff. Interrogation, regular old torture, nothing I haven't been through before." He shivers. "Like I said, good as new."

Obi-Wan doesn't want to come right out and say it, and he knows Anakin never will.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka doesn't know what to do. Her Master takes her to dinner at Dex's, picks at his food, drinks too much. She drives them back to the Temple in his speeder, and parks, staring at him. "What's going on?" she asks, finally.<p>

Anakin turns to her. "Nothing," he says. He gets out of the speeder and walks away before she can say anything else.

* * *

><p>Palpatine understands. He knows Anakin has come to him when he can't bring himself to talk to his Jedi friends - or the wife he thinks no one knows about. "I can't stop thinking about it," the young man breathes, head in his hands. "I should have been stronger. I should have been able to <em>stop it<em>." His voice breaks.

Palpatine tents his fingers. He had made his orders to Tyrannous clear: Skywalker would live, but his spirit should be broken. Sidious was impressed by how well the Count had done. "My boy," he says gently, placating, "It is no weakness."

"Everybody thinks I'm fine," Anakin says. "I told them I was, but... what am I supposed to say?" He sounds tormented.

"The Jedi would never understand something like this," Palpatine says, twisting the knife. "But you can come to me any time, Anakin. Remember that."

Anakin nods, and sinks down into the shadows.


End file.
